Elizabeth Morgal

As mentioned in John Hinkle and Margaretha’s and posts, Elizabeth Morgal was the wife of John and the mother of Margaretha. She was born in 1834 or 1835 in Prussia. Only census and passenger lists, provide us any clue to her date and general place of birth. She and John were married in Prussia before they arrived at New York’s Castle Garden in 1859 with her mother and siblings. Once in America, she and John Hinkle had four children, all in Indiana; Margaretha, Elizabeth, Helena, and John. She is enumerated with John and several of the children in the 1880 U.S. Census and 1885 Iowa State Census (Morgan Township, Harrison County, Iowa).

After John Hinkel’s death in 1883, Elizabeth filed for a widow’s pension on 29 July 1886. I have yet to order John and Elizabeth’s pension file from the National Archives and Records Administration to see what clues they hold. Her daughter, Margaretha died in 1896 and by 1900 Elizabeth was living with her daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzie Adams) in Fremont, Dodge County, Nebraska. She was back in Iowa by 1904 living with her youngest daughter, Helena (Lena Peary or Pearcy) and died at the age of 71 on 28 January 1905 in Harrison County.

The pension card for John Hinkle.  It associates Elizabeth to his service record and provides certificate numbers needed to order his pension record from the National Archives and Records Administration.  Access from Ancestry.com, U.S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934

Death records for both Elizabeth and her brother, John (Johannes) Morgal, name William Morgal as their father and John’s alone names their mother as E. Hinkler or Hinkle. The informant for John’s certificate was Mrs. Morgal. Just to recap, Mrs. Morgal is presumed to be Eva who 1) came with the family to America in 1859; 2) knew his mother personally; and 3) may be a Hinkle(r), herself. Mother Morgal’s name on the passenger list was recorded as “Helena”, but is recorded as “E.” on son’s death certificate and “Elizabeth Morgal” on her daughter’s. Remember also, that all three of Helena’s children and at least one of her grandchildren named their own children John, Helena, Elizabeth, and Margaretha.

Why is it important for me to disclose who the informants are on records? Informants are a clue to determining the accuracy of information. For example: Eva having known John’s family as an adult (and may have a familial connection to her mother-in-law back in the fatherland) would be a better witness than Elizabeth’s informant (her son) who was probably still young when his grandmother died, never knew his grandfather and received his information second hand through his mother or other relatives.

Death Certificate for Elizabeth Morgal Hinkle.  Accessed 20 December 2018 from FamilySearch.org, Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951.

Chart comparing Elizabeth Morgal Hinkel’s death certificate to her brother, John’s.  Also correlation between passenger list data and death certificate data.

An obituary was published in the Missouri Valley Times on 2 February 1905 but did not provide any useful information.  The correlating record in Find-a-grave has a picture of her headstone in Noyes Cemetery, but it only has her name (no dates). 

Picture of headstone uploaded by Tami on Find-a-grave.com for Elizabeth Morgal Hinkel.

Accessed 20 December 2018 from Newspapers.com, Missouri Valley Times, 2 February 1905, page 9.

Genealogical Summary: